Teacher drops off Zoom call and second graders hilariously try to behave as they're being recorded

Virtual classrooms have proven to be frustrating for both teachers and students this year, with everything from wonky internet connections to intruding family members making them miss the comfort and familiarity of traditional classrooms. However, a class of Texas second graders seems to have adapted well to the pandemic necessity as they proved more than capable of behaving themselves and keeping themselves entertained when their teacher unexpectedly dropped off the Zoom call a few months ago. The hilarious video of the youngsters realizing their teacher had been "kicked off the internet" went viral on social media as it became a heartwarming reminder of the innocence of children.

According to ABC7, the video recording of the virtual classroom was posted on YouTube by the principal of Parkland Elementary School. The nearly three-minute-long video begins with Mrs. Emily Pickering, a second-grade teacher at Parkland Elementary, abruptly disappearing from the screen following some trouble with her internet connection. Confusion stretches across the face of one young lad who suddenly sits up straight to inspect the teacher's sudden disappearance even as his classmate pops the question of the hour: "Guys, what happened?"

"She left the meeting," one young man helpfully explained while the rest of the class slowly caught up to the unusual turn their "How can we be good citizens?" lesson had taken. "It kicked her off the internet," said another. Meanwhile, one young girl asked the age-old question of "Can you guys see me?" only to be ignored by one chap who was more interested in breaking into an impromptu song. Fortunately, this was when little Marilyn Well stepped up with a PSA before her peers got a little too comfortable in the virtual classroom. "I see that there's a little record sign at the top of the screen," she informed her classmates.

"So, the teacher's recording this. She can watch this and see that we're not behaving. And the principal," she added, her eyes widening, almost as if her own words has just hit her. "That should be serious trouble," Marilyn warned. "So we should behave. Because, if the principal finds the video [of us] being bad right now, she would see us being very bad and we would be in big trouble with our parents." The prospect of their parents getting a call from the principal managed to grab the students' attention... for a while.

Marilyn's mom, Ginny, who was nearby as these events transpired said that her daughter's actions surprised her and made her proud. "For the most part, she's been encouraged by the both of us to just be a leader and to do the right thing when no one is watching. I think that's when it stepped into gear for the first time," Ginny said in an online interview with her daughter and husband sitting beside her. "Yeah, it's like I was the leader of all the ants and they were starting to get crooked walking," chimed in Marilyn. "I went, 'Nope.'"

Despite her commendable efforts though, Marilyn and her classmates soon forgot the little record sign at the top of the screen as their conversation steered in a very "toasty" direction. "We'll be toast," said one boy of what would happen if the principal saw them misbehaving, before graciously explaining to his peers that "'Toast' means, we're in trouble." The mere mention of toast apparently sparked some kind of feelings in one little girl who wistfully said: "Mmm, I want toast." Saaaame, little one. Same. As the conversation then spiraled off into the many wonderful ways to eat toast, Marilyn offered a suggestion: "Whoever said, 'We'll be toast-' whoever said that, maybe have toast for breakfast tomorrow."

"That sounds really good, with eggs and lettuce," chimed in the girl who initiated the toast discussion. This was when Ginny realized that something must've happened to the teacher's internet connection. "What could they possibly be talking about educationally for this conversation to come up?" she said, laughing. "These are still little moments that I had always wanted to see when I was working and they were away at school. It's a good reminder of the innocence of children."